Phytic acid, also known as phytate, is a substance that accumulates in the seeds and bark of plants and is mostly found in legumes, oilseeds and hard-shelled nuts. Phytic acid should be taken in a balanced way, as it has harmful effects as well as beneficial for the body. Phytic acid is also known as an anti-nutrient substance because it prevents the absorption of minerals important for the body, such as calcium, zinc, magnesium, copper and iron. ‘What is phytic acid?’, ‘What is phytic acid found in?’, ‘What are the benefits of phytic acid? if you are interested in the answers to questions such as " you can take a look at our content.
Ingredients
What is Phytic Acid and What Does It Do?
In Which Foods Is Phytic Acid Found?
What is the Ratio of Phytic Acid in Food?
How to Reduce the Amount of Phytic Acid in Food?
What are the Benefits of Phytic Acid on the Skin?
What Kind of Health Problems Are Seen in Excess of Phytic Acid?
How Much Should Phytic Acid Be Taken Daily?
Are There Any Phytic Acid Damages?
What is Phytic Acid and What Does It Do?
Phytic acid, also called inositol polyphosphate, is a phosphorus-containing form of the chemical molecule inositol. In other words, phytic acid is a form of storage of phosphorus in the seeds and shells of plants. When the seed sprouts, the phytic acid breaks down and begins to release the phosphorus that the plant needs. Phytic acid, which is found in many nutrients, can cause a deficiency of minerals such as zinc, calcium and iron in the body. Of course, phytic acid is a substance that has benefits as well as harms.
Phytic acid comes to the fore with its benefits on the skin due to its antioxidant properties. In addition, thanks to this antioxidant property, it helps to prevent the formation of various cancers, especially colon cancer, by reducing oxidative stress.
In Which Foods Is Phytic Acid Found?
Phytic acid is mainly found in the core (seed) and shell parts of plants, as it is a form of storage of phosphorus. For this reason, phytic acid is found in legumes consumed from oilseeds, whole grains and seed portions. When phytic acid is mentioned, whole grains come to mind first, but there are also high amounts in nuts, oil seeds and legumes. The main phytic acid-containing foods can be listed as follows:
Bean
Pea
Chickpea
Lentil
Peanut
Soybeans
Flaxseed
Sesame
Sunflower pulp
Nut
Almond
Walnut
Cashew nuts
Wheat germ
Barley
Sorghum
Oat
Rye
Corn
What is the Ratio of Phytic Acid in Food?
The amount of phytic acid stored in nutrients varies between different nutrients, as Decently as it can vary significantly within the same plant. Because the amount of phosphorus stored in each plant is different. For example, the difference between almonds, which vary greatly in the amount of phy Decit acid, can be up to 20 times. Differences in the proportion of phytic acid in foods can be listed as follows:
Almonds - 0.4% -9.4%
Dried Beans - 0.6% -2.4%
Lentils - 0.3% -1.5%
Hazelnuts - 0.2% - 0.9%
Peanuts - 0.2% -4.5%
Walnut - 0.2% -6.7%
Soybeans - 1.0% -2.2%
Rice - 0.1%-1.1%
Wheat - 0.2% -4.5%
Sesame seeds - 1.4% -5.4%
Egypt - 0.7% -2.2%
How to Reduce the Amount of Phytic Acid in Food?
The amount of phytic acid present in plants decreases by converting to phosphorus during germination by natural means. But in foods consumed as seeds, such as legumes and some cereals, phytic acid is found in high amounts. However, it would not be right to reduce the consumption of these nutrients because phytic acid negatively affects mineral absorption. Because foods such as legumes and whole grains contain very important nutrients for the body.
Various methods can be applied to reduce the amount of phytic acid in foods. For example, soaking nutrients such as dried beans, chickpeas, lentils and rice in water before cooking, in other words, pre-soaking, significantly reduces the amount of phytic acid. Other applications that reduce the amount of phytic acid are fermentation and cooking. After the cooking process, the amount of phytic acid in the food decreases by about 80 percent.
What are the Benefits of Phytic Acid on the Skin?
Phytic acid is widely used in some dermocosmetic products such as masks, tonics, exfoliating products due to its benefits for the skin. Due to its antioxidant properties, it participates as an auxiliary component of many skin care products. Phytic acid contributes to cell regeneration and contributes to reducing the formation of dead skin. In addition, because it helps to regulate the fat balance of the skin and increases collagen production, it has an anti-aging effect by reducing signs of aging such as wrinkles, fine line formation.
What Kind of Health Problems Are Seen in Excess of Phytic Acid?
Many of the problems that arise from an excess of phytic acid are problems caused by a lack of minerals. Because phytic acid reduces the absorption of minerals that have important functions in the body, such as zinc, calcium, magnesium and iron. The lack of these minerals, which have an effect on many metabolic processes in the body, weakens the immune system in the first place, but can also lead to a decrease in some body functions. The most common symptoms of an excess of phytic acid in the body can be listed as follows:
Anemia
Fatigue and weakness
Weight loss
Memory weakness
Loss of concentration
Hair loss
Durability of nails
Loss of appetite
Nausea and vomiting
Decrease in bone mass
Sexual problems in men
Weakening of the immune system
How Much Should Phytic Acid Be Taken Daily?
Although it is recommended to reduce phytic acid consumption as much as possible, there is no official rate showing how much should be used daily. For this reason, the maximum amounts that countries should receive according to their own standards vary. For example, in the USA and the United Kingdom, the average intake of phytic acid is between 631 and 800 mg per day, while in Italy it is 219 mg, in Sweden it is 180 mg, and in Finland Dec. 370 mg.
Those who eat vegetarian or vegan diets, as well as developing countries whose diet is mainly based on legumes and cereal grains, are forced to rely on these food sources, and the daily intake is 2,000 mg and above. Under normal conditions, if zinc, vitamin A, D and C consumption is sufficient after a high-quality animal foods and protein-based diet, 400-800 mg of phytic acid per day is the safe December.
Are There Any Phytic Acid Damages?
Phytic acid does not pose a significant health problem for people who are fed a nutritious and intensive diet. But in cases with higher nutritional requirements, if insufficient intake or mineral and trace element deficiencies are present, it is necessary to limit phytic acid foods. Especially for people who adopt a vegetarian or vegan diet, following a plant-based diet increases the risk of nutritional iron and zinc deficiency.
Iron, which is also found in all animal products such as red meat and offal, is known as heme-iron and is not affected by phytic acid. Iron, which is naturally found in plants in non-heme form, is poorly absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract due to the presence of phytic acid. For this reason, mineral deficiencies caused by phytic acid are rare in people who follow a diet based on animal meat consumption, while they are more common in those who eat plant-based diets.
Although zinc is found in sufficient amounts in some whole grains, the phytic acid in these grains significantly affects the body's ability to absorb zinc. For this reason, it may be necessary to turn to different sources of zinc and use supplements when necessary. But the decrease in absorption caused by phytic acid applies only to that meal. In other words, when a food containing phytic acid is consumed during nutrition, it reduces the absorption of minerals contained in the food eaten at that time, it does not affect the absorption of other meals during the day. For this reason, nuts eaten between meals do not have a negative effect on the intake of nutrients and minerals in the main meal. Decoction of nuts between meals does not have a negative effect on the intake of nutrients and minerals in the main meal.